Data flow between circuit packs (also called circuit cards or circuit boards) is often a bottleneck. In many systems, circuit packs are interconnected via a back plane whose conductors necessarily limit the speed of data flow. Fiber optical interconnections between circuit packs are generally limited by being serial, rather than parallel, because of the difficulties presented by a mass of fiber optic cables and their precision end terminations.
To speed up the flow of data between circuit packs, I have devised an optical system that is fast and versatile without requiring troublesome fiber optic cables and their precision end terminations. My system aims at high speed, low cost, simple interconnections, and programmability of the data flow between circuit packs. My system is also shock and vibration resistant, inexpensive to service and maintain, and compatible with present and foreseeable technology. In fact, my optical transmission system can transmit data faster than present day electronic components on circuit packs can supply the data to be transmitted.